Enfield's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in relationships, housing tenure and work life.
The population passed 310,000
In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Enfield increased by 14%, from just under 274,000 to 312,000.
The addition of almost 39,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).
In 2011, Enfield was home to, on average, 28 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.
Population density was lower than the average across London
Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)
- Rest of London
- Enfield
- Average across England
A younger Enfield
Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.
Between the last two censuses, the median age of Enfield decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.
This urban area had a higher average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).
The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 10,000 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 900.
About 15% of people in Enfield are aged between 40 and 49 years
Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Enfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
More single parents
Enfield saw England's largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.
During this period, Enfield overtook 37 local authority areas, including Wirral and North East Lincolnshire, to become the English local authority area with the third-highest percentage of single-parent households.
In 2011, just under one in six (17%) households in Enfield had a single parent, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 35% to 32%.
Slough saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households (from 8.7% to 13%).
The percentage of households with a single-parent in Enfield increased by 5.4 percentage points
Percentage of households in Enfield, London and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Fall in home ownership
Enfield saw England's third-largest fall in the proportion of households that owned their home.
In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58%) households in Enfield owned their home, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 9.9% to 22%.
England's largest decrease in the proportion of households that owned their home occurred in Slough (from 66% to 53%) followed by Brent (from 55% to 43%).
The rate of home ownership in Enfield decreased by 12 percentage points
Percentage of households in Enfield, London and England that owned their home, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Fewer people worked long hours
The percentage of employed people in Enfield working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12% to 8.6% between the last two censuses.
In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.
The proportion of people working long hours fell faster here than the figure for the whole of London (from 13% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.
Long hour working in Enfield decreased by 3.4 percentage points
Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Enfield, London and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
More adults are separated from partners
Enfield saw London's largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.
In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) people aged 16 and over in Enfield said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 10.0% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 48% to 44%.
Across the region, Havering saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner (from 9.1% in 2001 to 10% in 2011).
During this period, Enfield overtook 14 local authority areas, including Kensington and Chelsea and Newham, to become the London local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated.
The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across London
Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011
- Rest of London
- Enfield
- Average across England
Area report data
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